Tuesday, June 4, 2013

EPIC NEWS! Downtown San Jose Getting a SECOND San Pedro Square Market!

Downtown San Jose has been having a pretty good year so far. The restaurant scene is exploding, high-rises are breaking ground, MUJI opened, the convention center expansion is almost done, huge new festivals are being planned, and now this...

I consider myself to be pretty plugged in to what's going on Downtown, but I can honestly say that I did not see this one coming. Reading this news in the Business Journal today was like getting a surprise gift you were not expecting for Christmas.

AEDIS Architecture and Planning is building a small project similar to the San Pedro Square Market in the SoFA District! The project will clock in at 7,500 SQFT, will have an artsy vibe to be consistent with the SoFA area, and will contain around 10 food and retail vendors! There are already four potential vendors and they really want to secure a bar, wine bar, or beer garden to be one of those 10. None of these will be large chains, all will be unique independent shops like the San Pedro Square Market. Integrating an art gallery is another possibility.

Not only will it front South First Street, but there is also an interior courtyard that will be part of the project. Above the retail will be a new 9,000 SQFT office (which is also being partially sublet). This is all located at 371-387 South First across the street from Cafe Stritch and Anno Domini. Launch is targeted for November. 2013 keeps getting better and better for Downtown!

10 comments:

Awesome news...I really hope that someone finally builds something on the Valley Title parcel, that parking lot kills the continuity of the SoFA area. Also hope that who owns the former Valley Title building restores the original facade (which is under the current uglyness).

Wow! I had not heard/seen any of this news either. Crazy good news!! SOFA is a great, funky little block of entertainment. A destination for arts & entertainment. The market there will help anchor the rental/condo development in the area -- just like San Pedro Square on the North end.

So that is what is going on down there! I walk by it every day and they've been gutting it the last few months and I was wondering what was going to happen to it. Excellent news! Good to see downtown developers having some vision in what they are doing.

I'm a big fan of SoFA and this sounds like a great addition, but I have to say that the headline is a bit of an exaggeration. My understanding is that San Pedro Square Market is over 18,000 square feet of indoor space (10,000 in the Lusardi Building and 8,000 in the El Dorado Building) plus the huge outdoor courtyard. It sounds like this project will be only about a third the size.

That being said, I hope it's a success and keeps the SoFA momentum going!

Agree with "Anonymous" above... Epic seems like a bit much. And it's not a second San Pedro Market. We'll have to wait and see what it is, as even the developer sounds a little ambivilant on the details.

That area has some potential (I live two blocks away), but there are some serious gaps. Most notably, the really ugly building across from OJ's and the ginormous parking lot next to it.

10 new eateries/retail spots are magically scheduled to open in your neighborhood and you don't think that is epic news? This is not everyday news for Downtown San Jose (or any other city for that matter).